Reimposta ricerca
Back on the Camino
  • Rosie Marzouk
Attuale
  • Rosie Marzouk

Back on the Camino

I am meeting Rachel and Richard in Pamplona and we will walk together to Burgos. Leggi altro
SeguiPanoramicaPanoramicaCalendarioCalendarioFotografieFotografieCondividiCondividiLista dei desideri
PanoramicaCalendarioFotografie
  • Ultima visualizzazione a
    🇦🇺 Manly, Australia
    Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    Bloody Mary on the plane!
    Unpacked!Back to my beautiful view

    Back home

    30 aprile, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Just a brief report to check in back in Manly. Very smooth flights with Cathay, but it is a long time…more than 24 hours…but Cathy met me so kindly, and I stayed over at Oyster Bay for the night - one more night living out of a suitcase was fine and I saw Pete, Jess and Ted - and Cathy and Paul left this morning for San Diego to visit with Peter, and of course Michael and Lisi…they will all be together at Palm Desert on the weekend.

    R&R came down into the square when I got the taxi from the hotel and we had last hugs…such a beautiful Camino with them…and they are probably still in the air flying home - they had one more day in Madrid.

    Well back to normal life, first batch of washing done, and must now go and shop for provisions and have coffee! Home sweet home.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    Delicacies at the market1LunchView from the food hallDinnerBurgos Plaza Mayor1Madrid Plaza Mayor

    Last whole day in Spain

    27 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    A lovely peaceful day, fine weather - cool in morning and supposedly got into late 20s or 30s by late afternoon, but dry heat and easy to live with…then beautiful cool again when the sun goes down. So we met at 8.30 and I insisted that we went to the churros and chocolate place Amr and I loved to go to, just down the road. So we indulged in freshly made churros, dark thick molten chocolate, coffee and freshly squeezed OJ. Then a small wander from Sol up to Plaza Santa Ana and around there till R and R had to meet guides for a tour of the city to many good spots that I didn’t show them already…so during that time I meandered round favourite places - Plaza Mayor, San Miguel Mercado, such a lovely city…no roads are at right angles or on a grid, so I find I often lose my sense of direction…but you can always find yourself back (even if going 180° in the wrong direction as I did once today)…the centre where all the tourists congregate is largely pedestrian - the poor cars that try to pass have a hard time, and mainly just delivery vans and taxis. I don’t know another big capital city that has so much pedestrian activity.

    We met up at about 1 near the royal palace, and I marched them back to another place Amr and I loved, and where I went with Cathy - La Casa del Abuelo - just a little place that does amazing garlic prawns, and it also did chiperones, and croquettas and a tomato salad!!! So we feasted there very happily, and amazingly went to the ice cream shop on Sol. Then Rachel suggested we go up to a good lookout point that they’d learned about on their tour. She knew the building, an ugly modern one that turned out to be a Corte Ingles store…so we went up to the 9th floor which was also a wonderful food hall, and you could go out to the verandah sort or area and look out at the marvellous view over the city and not buy a thing…but you get caught in of course and we sat and had a peppermint tea- Rich had coffee. Lovely relax up there. The store was just about on the Gran Via so I suggested we walk down admiring the wonderful buildings, to the Plaza de España which the tour hadn’t taken them to…so we ended up walking in the parks and gardens there, and behind the grounds of the Royal Palace where we found a bench in the shade…that was sort of the heat of the day at almost 7!

    We had a little downtime after all these activities and met again and wandered looking for somewhere to have a drink, and maybe a bite to eat…wherever we looked that seemed nice was all full on the outside tables…but as we were returning we tried our “local” where we went last night (but inside) as we spied an outside table, so we were very happy…I just had a tostada with smoked salmon and a vino tinto (a Rioja Tempranillo crianza Paul), but Rach and I did have flan also! And I had a Baileys. This was the last night.

    So now sorted out what I’ll wear tomorrow, packed everything else in the bag…random washing loose…and have ordered a taxi for 8.15. All organised, and now bed.

    Am putting in the photos 2 videos - one on plaza mayor in Burgos, and one in Madrid.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1
    1The beautiful Plaza Mayor1Back at La cantinaWith Maria the lovely MoroccanThe departure point for pilgrims1The shady leaves...and the non shady leaves1My little cell!2Dinner tonight ...half eaten!

    Burgos to Madrid

    26 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Today was a day of more relaxation…we had time in Burgos as our train to Madrid didn’t leave till 5.20. So we had a leisurely breakfast and did more wandering round. R and R had a booked tour of the cathedral, and I again walked the beautiful streets, so quiet and peaceful on a Sunday morning. The only people visible were tourists, pilgrims and a few dog walkers. Everyone else was sleeping off the partying on Saturday night into the wee hours. We regrouped at about 11 and after more cruising round we decided to try our luck at La Cantina again, as things were starting to pep up, but still places were not totally filled yet. The timing is all important, as at 2 it all shuts down again (siesta time) and doesn’t open till 6 or later…And today we were lucky and had a lovely lunch, and spotted Maria the lovely (and clever) waitress from yesterday and took a selfie with her!

    After that we walked off our lunch - took the Camino path out (our hotel and La Cantina are both on the Camino) till we went through the arch and down the steps, and then came back along the very lovely river path, where some of the trees are already very leafy and providing shade, and some the gnarled branches just starting to get leaves….we noticed this last time, and have no idea why one section is so different from another…a mystery.

    Wended our way back to the hotel and got a taxi to the station, Burgos Rosa Manzano. Our train was a high speed AVE and sped us to Madrid at 300 km/hr, and from Chamartin we got the metro to Sol. I had 2 metro tickets but wasn’t sure if they had any money left on them, but we conquered the machines - or I should say Rachel did, she is very savvy about these things! It was a really crowded long journey in the metro and am glad to report that I retained all my valuables and avoided being pickpocketed. Short walk to our hotels - they are in a hotel almost opposite me, perfect, and it looked very nice. I am in a single room at our usual Hostal Oriente, and have a little cell, but it has all I need!!

    Very shortly after, both checked in and we went to eat at the place opposite where Cathy, Margaret and I frequented. Very busy - 9pm by then, and we had to have an inside table, but ok, and good food and soon all the inside tables filled too, plus many just standing round the bar…lots of noise! Bit of a walk after to digest, and now bedtime. Today only 8.31 kms and 13,227 steps. Will put random pics of the beautiful buildings in Burgos…such a lovely city.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    White asparagus is in season
    1The Plaza Mayor deserted in the morningClimbing up to the castle1Dessert

    Chilling in Burgos

    25 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    A great relaxed day. We had breakfast at 8.30 (as I woke at 8 when we had been going to meet!)…then we set off separately - R and R were going to do an online tour of interesting things in Burgos that Rach had downloaded, and I was very happy to wander and explore - I just love the Plaza Mayor and the promenades along the river. We met up by chance at about 12, and climbed the many steps to see the castle - it was closed for renovation which didn’t matter greatly as it is mostly ruins, but walking round there you have amazing views over Burgos, and the surrounding countryside. By then we descended and felt ready for lunch…must have been about 2-2.30…I wanted us to go to La Cantina which was Amr’s favourite place to eat when I was in hospital…but whenever we want to it is full to overflowing…so we moved on and found another very pleasant place and had some croquettas and some tapas-like mini hamburgers…delicious and some yum dessert…then back to base and downtime…I meant to do some more wandering but just chilled and achieved nothing for quite a while…Met at 6 and more wandering till R and R left for the 7.30 mass at the cathedral- I was going, but arriving later, by that time Rich texted me that Rachel was going to do the second reading!! They did it in Spanish first, then R doing the English! She sounded very clear and good. They had talked to the nun yesterday about their parish and prayers for them, so had made friends. After that excitement we again tried for La Cantina and as usual it was full and we were looking into making a reservation for tomorrow when a table became vacant that we grabbed, so all good and we had pimientos padron, more croquettas and a few more tapas selections…good vino tinto and very happy. We were helped by a lovely girl who said speak English with me, I can’t speak Spanish! She turned out to be from Morocco and studying engineering in Spain…speaks French, English, Arabic but Spanish is her weakest! Walked back via an ice cream shop in the plaza Mayor and at 10pm it was buzzing - children playing and a carousel going, teenagers hanging about, people just sitting on all the benches watching the chaos and all bars and restaurants busy. A lovely city and very strong memories of Amr here. Despite not “walking” my count was: 10.67 km and 16,206 steps.Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    A bit of a wet start
    2Rain stopped, but still in jacketsStony roadNow back to shirt sleevesWith our buddies Claire and JoséLovely path by the riverArrived in BurgosNice roomView from windowFoyer of hotelPost walk drink11

    We are in Burgos - we have finished.

    24 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Today was our longest walk, about 26 kms. The day started a little bit wet…enough to put ponchos on as it was persistent enough to get you wet through…but after about half an hour we had all shed them, and the clouds remained high, and parted, and it became a lovely, though cool day - perfect for walking. The breakfast at San Juan is always a picnic bag - a ham and cheese sandwich, a bottle of juice, a banana, several sweet cakes in cellophane packs…not really satisfactory, but I had the banana and juice, and had the sandwich later for lunch…and we stopped for coffee at the first town…It was a lovely cool start through the pine and oak forest, then downhill and along a country road for quite a while. We were being careful as we wanted to make sure we took the path along the river into Burgos like we did 2 years ago. And we were successful! Went through more vast spaces of green grain fields, undulating but no impossible climbs, except one part was very uneven and stony and awkward, had to watch every step…that led to the view over to Burgos in the distance…after descending from there and passing through a couple of small towns we had to cross over a freeway and then turn off - not marked, in fact continuing along the road was marked - but we remembered it distinctly from last time, and followed the path to the left of the tiny airport and came to the town where we make the crossing and find the very pleasant path along the river and all the way into Burgos without going through the dreary industrial area…by then, once we got to Castañares the little town, there were arrows to help us, but none on the track along the airport…they seem to be directing people the other boring route! Anyway, we had fun, and while sitting at one point another couple arrived who we had explained this secret and more pleasant route to, and they were so pleased, and we were pleased that they had resisted the arrow sending them along the road and had trusted us! So we all walked into Burgos together, and the long walk passed quickly. I think we arrived at about 4.30! Early for us after a long walk, but we left earlier as didn’t sit down for breakfast…found our really nice, new to us, hotel, Norte y Londres, a bit old worldy in a charming way. Had a cooling drink, then showered etc and met and wandered along and to the cathedral square, found there was a mass at 7.30…Rand R went into the cathedral then and I had a wander round the familiar places…I came back to the cathedral for the pilgrimage mass, and after we had a good dinner at a nearby place I’d spied…I had cuttlefish à la plancha, Rachel had grilled fish and Richard had a pizza…all happy. By then it had become cold, nicely cold but we felt ready to retire - the Spanish were probably ready to start their Friday night, but we were ready for bed! Tomorrow a whole day in Burgos, and on Sunday train to Madrid for w whole day there with R&R.. Today’s tally: 28.24kms and 40,980 steps.Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1Plaza mayor Belorado
    111Finished most of the big climb!In the naked oak forest1That last surprise dip - see how tiny Rich is on the uphill!San Juan1Post walk drinks

    A big but beautiful day

    23 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We are now at San Juan de Ortega, about 24 kms from Belorado. So we started at our weird ghost hotel, and had a fairly good breakfast (the coffee machine made inferior coffee, and even not good chocolate milk) and I didn’t even try the croissant! And there were a few other people, but not many…so we got packed up and walked out the door just before 9 and there was Ana our taxi driver ready for us…so efficient and easy, and she drove us back to Belorado by a different route so we could see different scenery, and she called by her house in Belorado to check her car there (which had been what she had driven us in yesterday) because Rich had lost a his drink bottle and thought it had probably fallen out there…and she searched and found it in the depths of her boot…so kind.

    So we set out from Belorado just after 9.30 and found ourselves walking on huge vistas in all directions again…and we were high, and we felt on top of the world…we passed several towns fairly soon, and had a coffee stop in one (and I had an excellent cup) and continued on, being dazzled by the grand views…we could see for miles the Camino path ahead, and see little figures walking along…the photos won’t give the full perspective and extent of the views.

    We went down a little and arrived at Villafranca Montes de Oca, not quite half way to San Juan…Rachel and I bought a wonderful sandwich here, but I suggested we take them and eat when we arrive at the top of the long steep hill that I remembered was ahead, and am so glad we did…it was steep and long and merciless but we did arrive and ate our delicious sandwich - a change from the ham and cheese, we had tuna, egg, tomato, lettuce, grated carrot, mayo!!! Then we started off on the second half of the day, in totally changed landscape…we had risen up into a forest of oaks - looking like ghost trees without leaves - and pines and heather…we were in a different world…and this path went on for a long long way…we passed a memorial for people who died in the civil war, and another fearsome dip to a river and very steep up again but was over quickly before we could be too overcome! Poor Rachel was fighting a blister on the ball of her foot, but we all made it, and were very happy…this is a tiny place, with a huge and beautiful church and square…we had a beer, checked in, came back for dinner at 7pm…much more civilised for pilgrims than waiting till 8.30 and having dinner along in the dining room like we did last night. We met and chatted to lovely people - from Taiwan and Switzerland…now off to bed…a big walk into Burgos tomorrow. Final count for today: 25.32 kms and 37,243 steps.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    Bridge leaving Santo Domingo
    Church at GrañonInsideThe camino going off into the distanceIrisesChurch at BeloradoNice spacious room

    A slightly weird day - at Belorado

    22 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We started out from Santo Domingo quite leisurely, admiring the bridge, and looking at the many storks’ nests up high on poles, and passing a water hole where frogs were loudly croaking (I at first thought it was sheep!), and listening to the loud cry of a peacock somewhere…so it was a nature time…we had over the last few days heard cuckoos too, very recognisable. We got to Grañon where we stopped for a coffee/ColaCao, and realised we hadn’t come far really, and were to be taken by taxi to tonight’s hotel, out of Belorado (Belorado is very small and presumably was booked out)…the voucher for this taxi said 4 o’clock and we assumed we would call and find out the meeting point, but if we would be arriving much after 4 we’d call etc….anyway, we chugged along, the same open countryside covered with the dazzling green of the wheat and barley…not a sign of vineyards any more! And we passed into Castilla y León, out of La Rioja…no more red soil, back to the grey earth. We could see the camino stretching way out into the distance, and within 15 minutes we were there…so we powered on, not much else but the beautiful open spaces, and for a lot of the time we were near the N-120 highway which has lots of traffic between Logroño and Burgos…there was quite a strong breeze and we were walking directly into it, which added to the work, but had an upside for me as I could wear my new Logroño sunnies…they had been a problem as they fitted so comfortably and snugly that they fogged up very soon after starting walking and even putting them up my nose and tilting them didn’t work, but with the head wind they worked perfectly, protected my eyes from the wind and kept an airflow that stopped the fogging up!

    We didn’t stop much, sat on the ground in the shade of a tree to eat …Rach and I shared a jamon and cheese bocadillo (so much ham and cheese consumed, often the only choice) and a mandarin, and to our surprise we actually did walk into Belorado just before 4. We were making our way to the plaza mayor, where we knew there were bars to have a drink 🥃 which we needed and had popped into the beautiful huge church, when a woman approached me and said “Rosemarie?” And it was our taxi lady, all ready and with our bags!!!

    So we hopped in and were driven about 18 kms, into a different world along the winding roads in the craggy hills above to get to our 4 star hotel at Briviesca…our taxi driver had as little English as we had Spanish but we found that the white on top of one of the mountains was not snow but a sodium sulphate mine…and we also confirmed that the crops were all wheat and barley, and that soon would be sunflowers…I have photos of coming through the camino in this stage with huge fields of sunflowers. Anyway, we arrived at the hotel and checked in and found our very nice rooms, and when we met later after showering etc to go down to the bar to have a drink we found not a soul anywhere!! This is the rather weird part..here we are at this posh place, but no one around…so we found that the bar was a quiet space near reception, and the same one girl came and served us at the bar, but couldn’t understand tonica which Rachel wanted…so she ended up with a ColaCao…Rich and I had beers…so we wonder what dinner will be like…the restaurant opens at 8.30, and will others appear?? To be continued after dinner…

    Just back from dinner…well this place is still a ghost place…we were the only people in the dining room soon after 8.30…and we had to explain that we were there on half board and couldn’t pick from the fancy à la carte menu…so we were a bit of a disappointment to them probably, but had good meals…I had a mixed salad to start, actually we all did, and I had a fish soup as my main, which was delicious, and R&R were happy too…eventually one man also came in, and then another…they both just had one course and left before us…we wonder why we were driven so far off the camino to this place…it must have been a special deal…we are on the edge of the town, so nowhere near to walk to…feels right out in the country…so we will spend the night in a comfortable room, have a good breakfast probably and be gone at 9, when we are picked up again in the taxi…weird…but ok…Final tally for the day - 23.88 kms and 34,830 steps    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    The red cliffs above Nájera
    11Beautiful lunch spot1The famous view for book covers!First viewing of Santo DomingoThe henhouse in the cathedralThe chicken manUp with the bellsZucchini soup and a pasta salad for Rich1Desserts1Surrounded by green...

    An even more spectacular day!

    21 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We are now in Santo Domingo de la Calzada, which is where there is a rooster and hen in the cathedral because of the miracle of Santo Domingo. But the day just had many highlights. We set out from Nájera through the red cliffs that hang over the town…then we continued through vineyards, in every possible space on the hills, and then there were some grain fields,mixed in, with their bright green new growth.

    First I have to say we had a superb breakfast, with freshly squeezed orange juice - there was a machine there, and muesli, and good coffee, AND one special mention is that the croissants in Spain are now at the French standard in my opinion!! I don’t know what happened, but they are perfect…so that was a good start.

    As we walked we talked to different people - a couple of girls,from Taiwan (but they were so protected from the sun in wouldn’t know them on the street, a man from Singapore, who had an umbrella hat (more sun protection!), and some nice American girls (aged about Rachel and Cathy’s age) , so we had fun and chatted. Then the vineyards disappeared and the grain fields took over and we were surrounded by bright green on all sides….this is the area where the pics on all Camino books get taken I reckon…you see the Camino stretching out into the distance and we climbed some long slow climbs…at the top of the longest climb there is a perfect lunch area which I had been promising R&R, and thank goodness it appeared! And to our astonishment there was no one else there (usually you are lucky to get a,seat we found…) but maybe people had stopped before, or,just didn’t notice…so after lunch we still had a third of the way to go, and after passing through a very sterile newly created town we again had book cover fields of green (the books sometimes had the pics in autumn when the green is brown post harvest stubble)…so today was spectacular and I took a video of the green surroundings as we walked…which I will post.

    So we finally arrived, and had to find our accommodation as it was new to all of us. Rach found it on google which was more accurate than our other instructions, and we are staying at a little “boutique” hostal which used to be a mill, and has all the thick walls and beams in the ceiling.

    So we gave ourselves an hour to recover from the quite full on walk, to shower and wash etc, and we met and went to the cathedral (only a few minutes away) and had an inspection in the cathedral…huge and beautiful, and of course you are drawn to the hen house, and we were there at exactly the time that a man was there changing the guard - he took the 2 resident chooks, and brought 2 more to replace them…they always rotate them, but it caused much crowing of roosters and excitement. I was there when the man came out with the 2 exiting chooks, and he posed for me!
    Our next highlight was a quick climb up the bell tower, as there are wonderful views from there, and it is always fabulous to be up with the bells…we could see the path where we came in, and could name the snow capped peak we have been seeing for days…San Lorenzo…

    Then we hot tailed it to dinner in our hostal where we had almost the best meal yet! For me anyway! Not gourmet exactly, but homemade tasty and perfect….i finished every course..
    Started with zucchini soup, then “chicken in its juice” which was tasty and falling off the bone, with just a few French fries, and then I had arroz con leche, my favourite rice pudding..coupled with the house red, and water, all perfect, and I will put in photos for you Paul!

    After dinner R&R went to a mass and I came up to my room to write up the day…they have since popped in to debrief, and now I’m finished I think! Today’s tally is 23.45 kms and 35,110 steps…and I have to say that I think I’ve got my Camino legs…I felt fabulous powering up the hills, and don’t even feel tired now!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1
    Stones piled round the vines2Lunch time1Beautiful rest stop1

    Spectacular Walk to Nájera

    20 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Another day with beautiful weather, and glorious scenery…our mornings start cool, but soon get very comfortable, and when we arrive we are hot and sweaty, but not overpowered by heat. I think it went up to 26°. No huge climbs today, mostly undulating and flat, except one quite demanding uphill and at the top was a beautiful view back from where we’d come, and ahead…the view today consisted almost entirely of vineyards covering the whole landscape…there was an occasional wheat field, and I saw a lovely vegetable patch with onions and artichokes, but basically wall to wall vineyards.

    The Rioja soil is very rich red, and today it was very stony…you wondered how things would grow in such stony ground, but they even seemed to be specially built up along the rows and maybe they help keep the grasses and weeds in check, and the vine roots are deep and unaffected. They are just getting their first sprouting leaves, and today most were very old and gnarled looking.

    I think we arrived here about 1, walking only about 15 or 16 kms, and sat at one of the bars by the river before checking in to our hotel. Had a nice chat and drink with Orla, an Irish woman we’d been walking with. Then checked into the hotel…the wifi knows me at these hotels I’ve stayed at before which is very convenient, don’t need to bother about passwords.

    Showered and washed and we had a bit of a wander, but sadly the Monasterio de Santa Maria de Real, which Amr and I had really enjoyed visiting, was closed on Mondays. So we circled round, not much to see, just pleasant by the river where we had another drink and now R&R are at a mass, and I am doing this, and we’ll meet at about 8.15 for dinner at a little restaurant round the corner that we have a voucher for. All good.

    Well now back from dinner, fun rime, and I loved the food…I again had the garlic soup, but this time it had a whole poached egg in it. - yesterday’s had egg cooked and streaked through - delicious, but not heavy, and then I had stuffed peppers, and flan (always safe).

    Rachel has reminded me to tell about the people (we think Korean, but not positive) who were totally covered against the sun…it was more covering than the burka! They must have been so hot, with all their skin covered…Also, there seemed to be more people on the Camino today…I think maybe because some started at Logroño and did the 28 km walk to Nájera like we did in 2013, and they arrived around the time we strolled in at about 1. It feels very long and weary doing the whole thing in one day, and we were very happy to divide the day at Navarrete. Our stats for the day are: 18.32 kms, and 27,714 steps.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    First sighting of bullCloser2Our glamorous lunch venue!1Navarrete in sight - huge churchIn the tunnels under the hotel...where the restaurant isSpacious room2My perfect dish

    Now in Navarrete

    19 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    A lovely walk today…we were not rushed because we knew it was short…about 12 kms.. leaving Logroño was easy…good markings, perfect weather again, and the Camino went through parks and then round a lake (man made I think) which was a nature reserve…very beautiful, and also this is Sunday and the city as we left was still asleep, except for the joggers, cyclists and dog walkers. We went to a different cafe for breakfast (presumably because this one would open at 8am on a Sunday)…excellent breaky - OJ, coffee, croissant AND a delicious small fried egg, bacon and mushroom roll…so that kept us going…

    After the nature reserve we came to open countryside with vineyards everywhere…and we came to the big bull that is a landmark here…it is high on a hill so it is visible but I swear it is higher than before, or bushes around have been cleared, because it was so visible - even down to the legs and appendages!! So Rach and I kept taking better and better photos…meanwhile Rich had walked ahead a little and found a lunch spot for us…on plastic chairs, under an overpass, in the shade and with a good breeze!! and the bull in the background!

    So we got here around 1 or so, and went to the bar in the square near our hotel and settled in for a drink before checking in. Totally relaxing, and good conversations with other pilgrims. Right beside us was the enormous church in this tiny town, one of the best we’ve seen….lovely inside, and playing music quietly, just perfect to sit and contemplate.

    Then we checked in…spacious rooms, and the bags there already, and we chilled for a while….then walked down a layer of this hillside town, checked when the restaurant would open for dinner, and settled in for another refreshment at a table overlooking the valley…I now had a lovely Rioja crianza red, and Rich found a Martini Rosso that he hadn’t been able to find! Just a shot, and a beer. Now we are having downtime till dinner.

    Will add more if dinner memorable. Today so far is 12.96 kms, and 19,484 steps. Tomorrow will be a bit longer, but under 20kms.

    I will add a little bit, as dinner was so surprisingly great! I was expecting the usual Pellegrino menu which can be too much…well Rachel and I both had Rioja garlic soup, and a cauldron came and we ladled ourselves what we wanted…delicious, and not heavy or rich…then I had artichokes with jamon…I talked with some Americans in a table near us and saw her dish which looked great, and it was…and not too much. Rachel had beef cheeks, and Richard had pork ribs…all happy! And I will add a couple of pics. And now I am back in my room, writing this and listening to Outsiders from this morning, thanks to Tallie’s help and instructions!!! Thanks Tals! Also have to add that before dinner I had a lovely FaceTime with Liv from London…I so love my family, and life is ok.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    San Bartolomé
    Inside San BartoloméUp with the bellsLooking across to the other tower!1The Irish pubOne of the towers, from the ground..A green hen groupAnother...

    A Quiet Day in Logroño

    18 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Today we have been beautifully vegging…and it has been delightfully cooler. We met at 8.15 and went out to breakfast in a little cafe round the corner with vouchers as our hostal doesn’t do breakfast itself. Had OJ (always fresh), coffee, pastry 🥐…then we went ambling along in the beautiful cool morning air - just long sleeve T-shirt cool, not cold. Our wandering too us past churches we had found before but were closed, but morning seems to be open time and we went inside san Bartolomé, and Santa Maria del Palacio …Then we set off walking along the river in the other direction from yesterday…the ground is covered with what looks like white dust balls which is being dropped from the white poplars which are everywhere…very pretty trees…so we ended back in the main square, and decided to climb the cathedral tower! Such fun, and such a fabulous view from the top, along with the bells…Next we had coffee/ColaCao/tea before we split - R&R went to the Rioja museum (where Amr and I went last time) and I wandered round looking for a plaza which I remembered but couldn’t find!

    We met back at 2 and had lunch - at an Irish Pub!! But they had food offerings we felt like! I had a Caesar salad and luckily saw that you could order a small size…Rachel ordered a salad which came as full size…both of us did well - Rach finished hers! And I only left some of the fried chicken which had come very generously with it…

    So now we have all split to do our individual things…mine was to come to the room and relax over word games, write this bit and I’m about to set off for a walk till we meet…

    Now 8.30pm and Rachel and Richard are at mass, and I’m trying to add more, and put in points that R&R have reminded me! One was to mention that there was a stork with a nest on our tower flying round very close. Another was that I bought a pair of sunnies for €6 (polarised!) as can’t find mine…this will be a sign that I will now find them…but the sun is rather penetrating and bright in the afternoons. Another thing was that there was a circle watching some Tai Chi sort of dancing, that went on for ages…but now the square is full of children running and playing ball, endless groups of men, girls etc, all with matching t-shirts, or colour coded…hen parties, stag parties, who knows what…but Saturday in Logroño is throbbing!

    We met after mass in the beautiful cathedral, with singing and powerful organ playing - I popped in and saw the end. So it was about 9 and we went to an empanada shop we’d seen and all ordered 2, they were small with lovely light thin pastry, and delicious and generous fillings! Yum…followed by an ice cream at the Italian gelateria…we ate sitting on a bench in the square, so that we could do more people watching…a lovely relaxing day.

    Also nice that being relaxed meant I was able to chat to both Cathy and Paul and not be in the middle of walking…tomorrow is not a long walk, about 14 kms I think, to Navarrete. And the tally for our ambling was 8.29 kms and 13,151 steps…    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    We have entered La Rioja
    Farewell Viana112Poppies ready for Anzac Day1Logroño skylineThe lunch feastSpring greeneryChurch of SantiagoThe mushroom tapas

    A Leisurely Stroll into Logroño

    17 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    For once I am starting to write early, instead of at 11pm when drooping. We are having a little downtime, it is about 5.30, we are regrouping at 6, and I’ll try and remember the day so far. By the way I added a video to yesterday’s post, as realised how to find them…not wonderful, the pics just can’t capture the beauty and scope.

    So we just had an 8 km walk into Logroño…another beautiful day, and the walking was almost always very gentle…not the many and sometimes times unexpected uphills of yesterday. We quite easily found our hotel - new to me, but seems very friendly and very close to the centre. AND it does washing and drying for €10 a bag!! So no need to find a laundromat! Our rooms weren’t ready when we arrived soon after 12, so we left most of our stuff and walked around getting our bearings. A very nice town, or city really I think. Soon found the main plaza, with the cathedral, one of the enormous churches here, and had coffee/colacao. I then wanted to find the street where Amr and I had found so many tapas bars with wonderful food, and yay success! I was so pleased that we declared it lunchtime and ordered yum selections, including a racion of chiperones à la plancha!!

    Then back to the hotel to check in properly and get our keys, and change out of walking gear and put it all into laundry bags and get ready for another wander in après walk clothes. By now it was rather hot, but we walked across the river on a long bridge, then along the path on the other side and back on another pedestrian bridge. Very pleasant with the spring green and birds twittering…though a bit hot…we found our way to the church of Santiago - yet another huge one, but it was open…so often frustratingly they are closed when we want to go in…we were told that Mass there was at 7…so that was when we had downtime - and I started on this entry, but am now back from our evening - I won’t say dinner, as it wasn’t dinner as such - anyway we met on a bench in the square and after wandering a bit R and R decided it would be best to go to the 7pm Mass and then float round freely….so we did, back to Santiago church, and afterwards made our way back to Calle del Laurel where it was all happening…it was the drinking and tapas time, and crowds were in the street, standing at window bars and barrels, lots of hubbub…we had been told to go to a place that does mushrooms in garlic oil and puts them on a stick with a prawn on top…we found the place and miraculously it wasn’t crowded, so got our mushroom tapa each, and by the time we finished the place was full…so we went along looking for our next snack and Rachel said let’s go into a place that was absolutely empty…my instinct would have been to give it a miss, but we were committed, and we each had delicious bites, sat ourselves near the door in full show, and by the time we finished that place was filling up! Flushed with success we went to one more which was quiet, and soon there wasn’t a seat vacant…so we wandered back, via an Italian gelateria and I had a Baileys flavour in a cone.yum. Amr follows us wherever we go…we think of him so often and quote him…he should be with us…
    Final count for the day was 16.07 kms and 24,901 steps.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1
    11Santa Maria in Viana

    Now in Viana - another perfect day

    16 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    A slightly shorter day today…we clocked up 19.28 kms, upon arrival at Viana, and 29,064 steps. But we worked fairly hard…we kept going down to a river level, and up to a hill town on the other side….i have lost track of how many serious uphill bursts we had, and by the end assuming this was the last, and then another would loom up. This sounds like a serious complaint, but in fact it was all amazing and perfect, despite the effort! Each day we say “ this is the best day so far..”…The weather has been kind …cool in the morning and evenings, (not like the first 2 days when it was seriously cold in the mornings) and today rose well into the 20s by afternoon, and it felt hot. We continued through vast panoramas of vineyards and grain fields and olive groves, always encircled with mountains, some of them snow capped…we keep trying to work out what ranges they are, but it all is spectacular. Today we walked through Torres del Rio with its UNESCO octagonal church, and before that, just on the other side of the river was Sansol. Lovely small towns.

    We arrived at Viana about 4.30 I think, and are staying at a lovely hotel, a Palacio! I’ve stayed here several times before and my iPad and phone immediately latched on to the wifi which is very convenient! Dinner was here, and delicious - I had a white bean sort of soup, and a fish (white flesh, no bones and not too much, with that delicious Spanish sauce made of red sweet peppers…can’t remember the name…and almost finished it all. The bean dish on the other hand was huge, and if I had eaten it all wouldn’t have been able to eat anything else…Rachel was the same, it’s not just me!! But all lovely, and ended with a panacotta with berries on top…yum. All this is included with wine (always tinto), water and bread…not bad for €16.50, except we weren’t paying because it is included with our board. After dinner we went to a pilgrim mass in a chapel of the enormous church…well it was a mass that blessed pilgrims after. Very calm.

    Tomorrow we stroll into Logroño and the Rioja…only about 10 kms, and we spend 2 nights there…a laundromat will be on the programme, and I know exactly where to find my favourite chiperones à la plancha!! Off to sleep.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1At the "wine fountain"
    1A colaCao break1

    We are at Los Arcos

    15 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Another really lovely day! It feels repetitive but we keep walking through wonderful countryside, spectacular panoramas - crops of very bright green grain crops, yellow canola fields, vineyards still looking rather bare with leaves just sprouting, olive groves here and there…what more could you want! And we are blessed with the weather - today started coolish, but soon we had shed all layers to our shirt sleeves but it wasn’t too hot, there was a pleasant breeze, and blue sky and sun…

    So we left Estella at about 9…totally relaxed, and of course there was the wine “fountain” …not what you really feel like so early in the morning, and we didn’t have receptacles but we all had a few drops (me in the palm of my hand!)…and we walked on, up and up to Villamayor de Monjardín, looking back and amazed to see towns and mountains so far away. Then it was basically downhill to Los Arcos, but by then it did seem a bit long, even with the beautiful surroundings…we stopped and ate now and then - beautiful fresh bread we bough this morning in Estella, with cheese, mandarins, sometimes bread with honey (and butter we had pocketed from breakfast)… chatted with people following our timing …all so special…the 3 of us are a wonderful team, and travelling well.

    Tomorrow slightly shorter…about 18 kms I think - to Viana. Today was 22.74 kms and 34,953 steps.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1Leaving Puente la Reina
    1The famous bridge - 11th centuryFirst steep incline...and rosemary bushes all along!There's always a cat!The second hill town Cirauqui1Roman bridge, and on a Roman roadEstella

    Great day, now in Estella

    14 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    We have had a wonderful day…perfect walking weather - fine, with puffy clouds floating around, but not threatening rain, cool - it said 6° when I woke, but I could see that it was going to get warmer than yesterday, and sent the puffer jacket with the bag and just had the wind jacket, and by the end had got down to just shirt sleeves…but not hot. And we just walked through spectacular panoramas, with the bright green of the grain crops, the bright yellow of the canola, interspersed with vineyards just starting to sprout leaves, and olive groves.

    Today’s walk was a series of serious uphill climbs leading to little immaculate towns, then down again and up again…the first was the hardest, with a finale of steep grade…but we survived, me plodding and pausing for breath, but once at the top all was forgotten! We stopped for refreshments whenever we needed to, and there was a bar…and just sat down by the side of the track and picnicked. Very relaxed, and we are now at Estella in a hostel I haven’t been to before, but very good, and we were sent to a restaurant in the main square for dinner. R and R both managed enormous hamburgers, I ordered a burrata salad which was delicious but enormous and too much to finish - and I hate to leave anything…but we all managed a small dish of caramel ice cream after!

    This is rather a quick sketch of the day…it is hard to remember specifics, and I need to go to sleep soon! But have to add that I did 25.27 kms, and 38,489 steps, including breakfast and dinner!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    4
    11

    Now at Puente la Reina

    13 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    First day completed!! According to my watch and phone we did 24.74 kms and 37,690 steps (but that does include walking to breakfast and dinner!). But we have survived, and it was a great day. Beautiful green waving new growth of the grain crops, the bright yellow of the rapeseed fields…and clouds that scudded and were blown around delivering sprinkling rain between bursts of blue sky and sun. Rachel and I put on ponchos at one point when it looked as if it might get serious, but it never did - where we were anyway, there was pouring rain in some parts by the look of it.

    It was 6°when we started and my hands felt freezing and stiff…so surprising as I was focused on the heat predicted in Madrid before I left! But cold weather is ideal for walking, and I loved it. It did warm up but I did wear my puffer jacket all day - just removing the fleece layer. The highlight of the walk was the long ascent to the alto del perdon which is always a challenge, but we made it, and from there it was downhill all the way…we are staying at the same complex of albergue/hotel we always have stayed…it has been renovated and tarted up, but basically the same, and good. Just had a hearty meal…finally some fresh veggies…and an arroz con leche which I love. Tomorrow we walk to Estella which is slightly shorter than today, but I always remember feeling quite tired on arrival there, so we’ll take it easy, like we did today, stopping, pausing, taking our time in a comfortable way. All good. Off to bed.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1The bull ring
    San Lorenzo12The old and the new2

    Fabulous day in Pamplona

    12 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    We have had a great day…after the really good buffet breakfast here - fresh fruit, OJ, yogurt, ham, cheese, bacon, scrambled eggs, pastries, coffee…really good coffee, and croissants as good as in France! So a good start, and we meandered at first, partly searching for a laundromat and food shops for supplies for tomorrow, and also checking churches, and Mass times…such a wonderful old city area, we also know where to join the Camino route out of town…so we came back to collect washing as Rich said he do the deal there (all I contributed was my nightie as I had worn it with the bedbugs! and wanted to feel it was cleansed! So we bought supplies, Rich washed and then we set off again and had a great time seeing amazing churches and settled on San Lorenzo for 6 pm Mass…this church has a chapel of San Fermin which of course is famous and big - san Fermin is the patron saint of Navarra, and the running of the bulls is the festival of San Fermin. City looking so beautiful with light green new spring leaves , and tulips and early flowers. We chanced upon the citadel where you can wander like a huge park and found ourselves on top of the high walls we had seen yesterday, and looked down on the paths below, and the drawbridge…with the boring looking modern city in the distance, and then the Pyrenees…(see pic coming up)…at some stage we stopped and had a bight of lunch of the inevitable ham and cheese rolls, but wonderful breads…then after the Mass at 6, which was crowded, and not with pilgrims, just regular people and families…good to see. Then we looked for somewhere to eat…hard to dine actual restaurants…all bars serving tapas, so again we picked some, and Rich had beer, I had vino Tinto and Rach tonica. Wandering back Rich dragged us into a place called Melt which had queues…it was a cheesecake shop and we got a delicious wedge with pistachios and 3 spoons! As we got back to the square we decided to have a nightcap at the Hemingway Cafe Iruña, wonderful atmosphere and great art nouveau decor…I had Baileys (very generous serve on ice - €4), Rich had Jack Daniel’s and Rach had a ColaCao…now back, sorted out bag for tomorrow, showered and bedtime. Just that wandering was 11.66 kms and 18,300 steps!Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1He famous mirror shot
    Plaza del CastilloFairly tall city walls!1The salad!

    Reunion in Pamplona

    11 aprile, Spagna ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    Well, to continue the saga of my lone travels and eating, as you saw in the photos of yesterday I did venture out and had a lovely meal at the bar opposite, where I went with Cathy and Margaret in September…very nice, and had a bit of a wander after but felt fairly fuzzy to came back and had early night…so slept early-ish maybe 9-9.30, but woke up at midnight with a bit of an itch and thought not nearly intense enough for a bedbug…but it was ☹️☹️.. I finally got up and found one, and then another under the pillow…so slept the rest of the night with light on and eye shades…so annoying as I get these huge itchy welts…and the room was spotless, and such a great place…but people bring them in.
    Anyway, woke really early and finally gave in at about 5.30 and did wordle and fiddled and diddled till about 7-7.30 when I ventured out to see if anywhere open for breakfast…and after a wander and inspection found a jamon shop which made delicious jamon and cheese baguettes and I had one for there and one to take for lunch in the bus (each was 1/2 baguette size)…so got to the bus station - the metro card worked, and the metro journey so easy, but was glad I’d allowed time to work out a potentially complicated estacion de autobuses because it was! Finally with the help of kind people and info people I was on the right bus, left on the dot and arrived on the dot at Soria - very small unremarkable town with, thank goodness, a simple bus station, when we arrived there was just one other bus there which was the Pamplona bus. Perfect. And after about 2 more hours arrived here on the dot. Though I’ve been to Pamplona 3 times before, never the bus station, but found myself underground in complicated complex, with no immediately obvious exit etc…the other bus passengers seemed to have dispersed and was wondering whether to head towards taxis, then saw an escalator leading up to daylight, so decided to see where that led, and as I was sailing up, heard a yell and there were Rachel and Richard sailing down!! They’d come to meet me!! So excited and happy to see them…and what a miracle we did coincide like that - it was meant to be!

    So we had a lovely afternoon wandering a little and retracing the real pilgrims route in as they had come in the river route as had Amr and I 3 years ago. We had met about 3.45 so it was late afternoon and at about 6, after a spell back in our rooms which are right opposite each other, we went out and after a bit I led R and R to a favourite place which at that time was crowded round the bar, but tables beyond fairly empty so we took a table and ordered drinks and tapas from the bar…lovely…had a second round of tapas and then I showed our busy but friendly waitress/bartender a photo of me there in 2018 with an amazing ensalada mixta and she said we could have one and brought us the most delicious one (I didn’t think the kitchen was doing meals yet as it was only 7 and restaurants don’t open till 8…anyway, by the time we left at about 8 the place was so full we could hardly squeeze through the crowd and our table was immediately taken. It’s Saturday night in Pamplona…So that is all I can remember. And I think I’ve been very long winded about it…tomorrow we all rest and explore…R&R of course walked in today from Zubiri and had barely checked into their room and relaxed before they came to meet me, so they need a well earned day of rest after crossing the Pyrenees by the high route!

    Will add pics, but forgot to airdrop with Rach, so just have mine.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    1My favourite pastry shopStuffed peppers for dinner

    Back to Madrid and our lovely hostal

    10 aprile, Spagna ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    The flight from HongKong to Madrid was smooth and easy…I really liked Cathay…again in little nooks, slightly different format as this was an airbus and the first one was a 777, and I rather preferred this…or maybe I’ve now learned the little knobs and tricks…anyway, it was good, and timeless - I watched a movie, Song Sung Blue as it was the only one in the huge selection that I’d even heard of, and it was good…watched a few episodes of TV series that I could cope with, and read, and lay back and drifted off to sleep for quite a while…when we took off I didn’t feel hungry at all and said I’d let them know when I wanted something (they had a list of all day/night offerings) and when I surfaced and realised I’d missed 2 meal servings I couldn’t wait till breakfast which was still about 6 hours away so ordered a dish with cauliflower and lemon aioli, cubes of sweet potato and pumpkin seeds on a bed of quinoa…just perfect…probably just normal for all those used to business class travel, but I am still greatly in awe of this all, hence the long descriptions of what is rather mundane!

    Anyway, we arrived on time, bag retrieved and then the only glitch in this till now perfect journey - the transfer person never showed…I was rather excited to think I’d be greeted by someone with my name on a placard, but no. It may have been complicated because I was at the puento de encuentro really quickly - landed at 9.30 and there soon after 10! No crowd in passport control, just straight through. But I waited almost an hour, and in the end hopped in a taxi and was delivered here, and only €33…I bet the transfer would be more.

    Went to room, relaxed, a bit of downtime during which I got totally stuck on Wordle (and still haven’t succeeded), and then went out into the lovely spring Madrid day. New green leaves and blossoms looking beautiful and temperature in the 20s, quite crowded as I believe it’s school holidays.

    I first went down into the metro at opera, right outside the hotel, to check on my metro card as want to use it tomorrow to get to the bus station. I was fiddling and working out how to do a top up and a kind young man looked at the reading of my card and explained that I still had 2 trips on it, and not to top it up yet as long as I was in the city area, so here’s hoping it will work tomorrow.

    Then I popped into a little place, Tapa Tapa, which does just that and had a perfect little plate of tuna with guacamole and seaweed, and a sangria. Then a bit of a wander round the familiar streets till I felt as if time to blob, even had shower now as in evening may be too tired to organise clothes! And might have been too tired to write this and even remember the doings of the day.    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore
    Beautiful alpine countryside, perfect weather
    Finally a Bloody Mary!

    Made it to HongKong

    9 aprile, Francia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    All going smoothly, and very smooth in business class…slightly different from the Qatar seats I had with Cathy last year…everyone was enclosed in their own little nook…I didn’t sleep, but admit I was a bit dozy by the end, but am reserving the serious sleeping for the next flight, as it is longer, and we land at 9am…I watched a movie Song Sung Blue and enjoyed it…and it was about the only one I’d ever heard of…likewise with the audio..the only classical music was Lang Lang playing, beautifully but that was virtually all I could find…finished a book and started another…so doing well.

    Now in the Cathay lounge with a Campari….not feeling like food now…Rach and Rich are now in Roncesvalles, over the Pyrenees, 2 more walks and they will be in Pamplona, and so will I!

    I will put in a couple of photos from R and R as they are so beautiful, and all I can offer if pics of food and drink!

    I’ve just seen that it says “today in France” which is because the first photo is of R and R in France before they walked into Spain…but don’t be misled, I’ll be in Spain!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
  • Rosie MarzoukBack on the CaminoViaggiatore

    Setting off tomorrow

    8 aprile, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    I am more or less packed and ready…the flight on Cathay leaves at 2.10 tomorrow and I arrive in Madrid early on Friday morning. The next day, 11th is a bus trip to Pamplona where I will meet Rachel and Richard who will have walked 4 days from St Jean Pied de Port, over the Pyrenees.

    This is just a starting post to remember how to do it…(Tallie helping) and it won’t get interesting until Madrid!    Leggi altro

    Guarda la traduzione
    Inizio del viaggio
    9 aprile 2026